HITLER’S FOREIGN POLICY 1. Destroying Versailles 3.

Remilitarisation of the
1933-39 (AND THE CAUSES OF  1935, Hitler had consolidated power @ Rhineland, 1936
WWII)
1939- WWII began after
home & began a more aggressive foreign
Germany invaded Poland. Hitler’s aims in foreign policy by breaking the terms of the Treaty  1936, encouraged by his early successes
policy & the aggressive way he carried them out of Versailles. Hitler moved 10,000 troops backed up by
were the main causes of the war.  Rearmament early 1935 police into the Rhineland
 Announced existence of the Luftwaffe (air  Forbidden by the T of V & agreed by
force) which had been set up in secret. Germany in the Locarno Pact, 1925
Hitler’s Aims; (3)  Formation of Stressa Front (SF)  France, Britain & Italy were distracted by
i. Destroy the Treaty of Versailles (rearm,  England undermined SF & agreed to the the Abyssinia crisis, LofN did nothing
remilitarise the Rhineland, Anschluss with Anglo-German Naval Agreement (1935),  UK saw remilitarisation as Germany going
Austria, change the border on the East with allowing Hitler to increase his navy into their own back garden
Poland)  Hitler felt encouraged to continue to breach  Hitler had gambled & won
ii. Create a Greater Germany the Treaty of Versailles  He built the Siegfried Line (line of
(Grossdeutschland) by uniting all German- fortification along the Franco-German
speaking people border), preventing French attack
iii. Create Lebensraum (living space in Eastern
Europe) 1939; Hitler took
over rest of
4. Influence of the Spanish Civil
2. Italian Invasion of Abyssinia Czechoslovakia - War
Hitler’s Successes; (4) Nazi-Soviet Pact -
Hitler invaded
1) Withdrew from Disarmament Conference & Mussolini- economic sanctions (excl oil)
Poland
League of Nations (blamed France’s refusal Stresa Front broke up- British and French support
to disarm like Germany) for sanctions upset Italy Enabled Hitler to test out
2) Part of the Four Power Pact to preserve Hitler & Mussolini were brought closer together-

H & M helped Gen.Franco

peace in Europe (France, Britain, Italy & Hitler supported
war tactics
Germany) Weaknesses of the League of Nations were shown
3) Formed 10-year Non-Aggression Pact with up
Poland (this broke the isolation of Germany Shared experience led to
which France had achieved) signing of Rome-Berlin
4) Saar Plebiscite 1935 - As part of the T of V, 1933; Hitler 1934; Hitler withdrew
Saar had been given to France for 15 years came to from Legaue of Nations & Axis 1936

win
Disarmament Confrence
to extract coal. Now the people voted to power
become part of Germany
1935; Hitler began
Made an agreement over
Setbacks= Failed Anschluss with Austria in rearmament.
1936; Hitler
Austria
1934 Anglo-German
Naval Agreement remilitarised Rhineland
Mussolini Spanish Civil War
The Hossbach Memorandum & invaded Abyssinia 1 month later Germany & Italy
joined with Japan to sign the Anti-
Plans for War, 1937 Comintern Pact to stop the spread
1938; Anschluss of Communism
 The Hossbach Memorandum = notes taken w/Austria
at secret meeting with Hitler’s senior Munich
Confrence Hitler
took over
Sudetenland
 Britain, France and the policy of
Appeasement
military commanders The Sudetenland, 1938
 He would achieve lebensraum (for food &  Britain’s policy towards Germany was
raw materials) through forced expansion German-speaking part of Czechoslovakia (3 characterised by appeasement (keep Hitler
 First targets: Austria & Czechoslovakia million Germans) happy, avoid war)
 Germany was rearming quickly Wanted to be united with Germany (felt  Mainly associated with Chamberlain, but not
 Army went from 100,000 in 1933 to discriminated against) supported by all British people
750,000 by 1939 (with 1 million reserves) Leader Konrad Henlein was encouraged &  Winston Churchill was the main opponent
supported by Hitler who sent troops to the (Conservative backbenches)
border - Warned against threat from Hitler
Anschluss with Austria, 1938 But the Czechs were prepared to resist German - Campaigned against appeasement
threats as they had:  France longed for peace & supported
- A modern, strong army appeasement for many of the same reasons as
- A military alliance with France Britain
- Support promised from Britain & France  France was affected by the Maginot mind
Europe seemed on the verge of war in the - belief that they would be secure behind the
summer of 1938. Maginot Line - a system of fortifications
France favoured action, but Britain was built along the border with Germany
Put pressure on both the cautious
Austrian Nazi Party & the
Austrian Chancellor (Dr. Annexation of Czechoslovakia,
Schuschnigg) to achieve March 1939
Anschluss
 1st non-German area taken over by Hitler &
indicated he sought European domination
He forced the resignation of the Italy(Mussolini),  France & Britain only protested - highlighting
Chancellor and Seyss-Inquart (leader of UK(Chamberlain), the weaknesses of the policy of appeasement
France (Daladier)
the Nazi party & Minister for Interior) & Hitler met in
invited the German army to ‘help
preserve the peace’
Munich to decide
the future of the Poland/ Polish Corridor
Sudetenland &
Germany in a prevent war
Neither  TofV had separated East Prussia from the rest
much stronger Russia nor of Germany by the Polish Corridor
position Czechoslova  March 1939, Britain & France agreed to
Anschluss consolidated Germany’s kia were support Poland
relationship with Italy (‘Tell Mussolini I invited!  But Hitler did not believe they would act
will never forget him for this’) Munich  Hitler made Pact of Steel with Italy (military
Agreement alliance to help in war)
1938
Believed
Britain & Agreed
France would Sudetenland
British felt Germany & Austria had a not back up be given to
right to be united their words Germany
with action He gambled &
won- tactics of
taking Europe
to the brink of
war had
Nazi-Soviet
` Pact, 1939
The War Begins
Stalin worried about the safety of Russia since
Hitler came to power
Wanted an alliance with France & Britain
during the Sudetenland crisis
Did not trust them after being left out of
Munich Conference
Instead the arch enemies of Fascism &
Communism stunned the world when they
signed a 10 year Non-Aggression Pact
Also secretly agreed to divide Poland between
them
Benefited Hitler as he could attack Poland
without Russia intervening & avoid a two-
front war
Benefited Stalin who had time to prepare his
army